Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-07
EXPERIMENT.
A pIsrnIc nEssgsexR-BoY ON DECK.
Waving Farewell to Bis Friends as he
Sails for Londsn = His Com
mission.
Now York Tribune.I

Investigators was to be seen early yes
terday morning on the White Star
steamship pier, at the foot of west
Tenth street. They had assembled on
the invitation of Professor Daniel
FrolIman to witness the preliminaries
of the interesting experiment he is
making relative to that most mysterious
of psychic forces, the speed of the New
York mcssenger-b The morning
was bright, and at that horr compare.
lively cool, or rather not unbearably
hot. The Britannia, which had been
speedily chartered by the scientist to
aid in his experiment, was lying at the
side of the pier, her decks crowded
with Investigators who were kindly per-
mittod to accompany the scientific ex-
petition to England.
AT the foot of the cabin gangway
were gathered about 10 o'clock the fol-
lowing learned professors: Daniel
Frolman. T.. D.. Sothern, Brent Goode,
Sam Sothern, J. G. Blaine, Jr., i. II.
Lowe, and several officers OF the
Mutual District Messenger Company.
1t a little distance was bright, wayy-
haired boy in Il brandnew uniform,
which showed that he possessed we'll
knit and well-proportioned figure. he
was surrounded by his family, including
hismother, Mrs. Sanger, q well-preseryed
woman of middle age. Copies of his
photograph taken the day before were
in their hands, and the lad himself car
RED q large package of them for dis
tribution on shipboard and 10 London.
Shortly after 10 O'Clock the sounds
of martial music were heard, and,
headed by q fife and drum band
of their own, the expectant voyagcr's
w-messengers to the number of
nearly fifty marched on to the dock and
drew up with military precision in front
of the gangway. They wore white cot
ton gloves, which seemed to somewhat
dampen their spirits, and they had to
walk quickly, which hurt their feelings,
but as soon as they saw their lucky
comrade these trihes were forgotten,
and they yelled like Comanche Indians,
to signify that they wished him well.
With a courteous but patronizing
wave of the hand Young Sanger ac-
knowledged the greeting, and then
passed down the double line bidding
his friends farewell. lie monopolized
public attention very naturally, and
Messrs. Sothern and Frohman were
nowhere. Brent GoOde also would
have been out of the race had not his
recent visit to England impaired to him
certain air which, in conjunction
with his golden beard and stalwart
figure, gave rise TO the rumor that
lie was the Prince OF Wales incognito
lie got stared at to some extent, but re-
ceived nothing like as much attention
as No. 1922, young Eugene Sanger,
who, as one fair dGmsel observed,
"looked sweet enough to kiss" Some
damsels OF more mature age apparently
held the same opinion. for they each
saluted the youth with tender caress
as they babe him goodbye. He bore
it with a manly resignation beyond his
years. This exercise, however, came
later on. Hardly had the boys flied
and drummed themselves out OF breath
when brass band struck up the Bon
LANCER March," evidently in honor OF
the scientific expedition. Some carp
ing spirits averred that the band play
ed in honor OF Gustave Amberg, who
was on the steamer but this was mani
testify impossible, for, in the first place,
Mr.. Amberg is much too modest to hire
a band all for himself, and if he did it
would probably not play the "Bou-
LANCER March"
But an ocean steamship will not wait
even for scientific expedition, for it is
itself a creature Of tides and bars, so
that shortly before IL young Sanger
was deposited on board and taken up
to the captains bridge in order that
all could see him as the ship steamed
into the river. The messenger-boys
who were not going let off ferocious
volleys Of cheers whenever in their es-
timation the proceedings seemed to
languisb, the flies footed, the drums
beat, and the brass band brayed.
Altogether, no messenger-boy since the
race was discovered ever before evoked
such enthusiasm. The shore bell rang,
and Mr.. Frohman and his colleagues
babe the youth fond farewell. When
Mr.. Sothern cheerily sung out Good
bye, and good luck, Johnnie" using
the general term for all messenger-boys
in his haste, Master Eugene answered
with stately courtesy, "Good-bye, Mr..
Sothern | am pleased to have made
your acquaintance" reply which
seemed to afford intense satisfaction to
MIR. Sothern.
Mr.. Goode was the last to shake the
lads hand and whisper a last word of
instruction, which those around him
understood to consist of private mes
sage for her Royal Highness the Prin-
cess of Wales and kiss to the Queens
last grandcbild. Finally the stay at
homes found themselves on the pier,
and as the steamer moved away the
subject of a great scientific expert
ment was seen standing on the
captains bridge waving his stately
adieux to those on shore. The forty
three messengers left behind whooped
loudly to mash their feelings and
marched off the dock glancing proudly
round as if to say, "See how fast a
messenger-boy can walk when the
superintendent is around" Young
Sanger, Mr.. Frohman explained as he
walked away from the pier. has cabin
to himself and will be in safe hands
during the voyage out and back.